The Gloucester, Mass., waterfront will come together this spring to honor the crew of the F/V Lily Jean and raise support for the families affected by the vessel’s loss earlier this year.

A full-day benefit concert titled “A Day of Music and Stories” is scheduled for May 17, from noon to 9 p.m. at The Cut in Gloucester. The event will feature live music, storytelling, and community remembrance centered around the city’s commercial fishing community.

Organizers say the goal is simple: bring people together and turn grief into tangible support for the families left behind. According to the event organizers, 100 percent of funds raised through ticket sales, sponsorship, a silent auction, and raffle donations will go directly to the Lily Jean Fund, administered by the Gloucester Fishing Community Preservation Fund, a registered nonprofit.

The event will include performances by local musicians and remarks from members of Gloucester’s fishing and waterfront community. Organizers also plan to host a silent auction and raffle featuring donated goods, services, artwork, and experiences.

The loss of the Lily Jean struck deeply in Gloucester, a city with a long commercial fishing heritage and a close-knit waterfront where tragedies at sea resonate far beyond the harbor. Organizers say the benefit concert is intended not only as a fundraiser but also as a space for remembrance and solidarity.

“This city has a storied fishing history and painful history of losing fishermen at sea,” organizers wrote in a call for sponsors. “When a loss of this magnitude hits our waterfront, it isn’t just news. It’s a rupture in the fabric of our community.”

Tickets and additional event information are available through The Cut’s website. Local businesses are also being invited to participate as sponsors to donate items for the event’s silent auction and raffle.